Irrationality

President Obama is speaking to the nation right now. He is speaking eloquently as he always does about some clearly beneficial initiatives including free community college for some and raising taxes paid by the rich. But will these commonsense proposals be enacted? I fear they will not. With Congress in Republican hands, there is virtually no chance our nation will take even baby steps towards economic justice.

Republicans have demonstrated over the past thirty years that they will side with the rich and powerful over poor, working-class, and middle-income Americans every time. Yet many of the latter still vote for them. On the left, we can decry this irrationalism but it is of a piece with other areas where our collective wisdom is doubtful at best.

Yesterday, the Washington Post ran a front page article detailing how the Fritz Pollard Alliance has hit a brick wall in its attempts to speak to the Washington, DC, NFL franchise’s owner Dan Snyder about his team’s nickname which is a derogatory term for Native Americans. Retired players formed the Alliance to help African-Americans and Latinos gain opportunities to coach and manager in the NFL.

One would think that if, 1) members of a traditionally oppressed minority, like Native Americans, complain that a team name is a slur on their ancestry, 2) nobody uses the term to describe individuals because it is in fact considered to be offensive, and 3) a highly respected civil rights organization like the Fritz Pollard Alliance is calling for the name to be changed, then the overwhelming majority would agree that the name should be changed. One would be wrong. Most of the comments at WashingtonPost.com mock the Fritz Pollard Alliance and those supporting its position.

It’s hard to come up with a more bizarre example of herd mentality. There is no rational reason for fans to oppose a name change. They can still wear their old gear if they so choose and they can also buy new and different gear if they like. In no way, will there lives be negatively impacted.

It’s just as hard to see how the team itself would suffer. Yes, they would have to come up with a new name, logo, and uniforms. But professional franchises are always experimenting with their brand. Each year the team dons a minimum of four different brand new uniforms that it wears for home, away, and throwback games.

If anything, a loud announcement that the team will henceforth be called the Washington Red Hawks, or something similar, would be a boon for the owner. He would get positive buzz for a change and media and fans would be distracted from the team’s abysmal win-loss record during the fifteen years Snyder has been owner. Management must be aware too that fewer young people are interested in the NFL and it’s not too great a stretch to believe that they are exactly the people who would most welcome a new team name.

With everything to gain from a name change, the team’s management has made clear it is standing pat. With nothing to lose from a name change, scads of fans are outraged at the calls for it. In the face of this irrationality from the American sports fan, nobody should expect that we’ll embrace free college education or a slightly less regressive tax system any time soon.

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For once, Trump said something that bears a tiny semblance to truth. Specifically, re wildland mismanagement. Aggressive thinning needs to occur. Enviros need to back off, else over the next few decades we are

(Monday, Nov 12. 2018 05:35 AM)

on course to lose much of r woodlands & the wildlife we all want2 protect. Due to accumulated fuel loads resultant from over-aggressive fire suppression combined w/climate change, today’s fires dont just clear underbrush, they burn everything from mature tree crowns down to the soil, which is sterilized & then washes away to silt waterways. DiFi prev worked on a bi-partisan solution, see: http://tinyurl.com/Herger-DiFi-Quincy-Library-Grp

Recent criminal justice bail bond reforms are being distorted by powerful interests towards a new Jim Crow system of private, 4profit, mass e-carceration. In CA Oct 2019, it appears a presumption of e-detention will

(Sunday, Nov 11. 2018 12:37 PM)

replace what was hoped 2b more freq release on 1’s own recognizance. CPU algorithms based on factors highly correlated w/ race/class will determine who remains caged. Those found release elig will likely be forced2 lease from a private corp a $300/mo GPS unit shackled to their ankle & w/permitted movement zones that may make it imposs 2 work, attend school, care4 kids, or visit family. http://tinyurl.com/newest-jim-crow

Judge Brett Kavanaugh lied about the SeaWorld case during his Senate confirmation testimony last week in order to justify his disrespect for the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

(Monday, Sep 24. 2018 04:18 AM)

Kavanaugh can do one good thing for us; let’s hope his nomination hangs on & thus forces the SCOTUS appt after the elections. https://tinyurl.com/kavagaugh-lies
(Self-extracting link above shows full post.)

U.S. is denying passports to Americans along the border, throwing their citizenship into question.

(Friday, Aug 31. 2018 04:45 AM)

Worse, passport applicants with official U.S. birth certificates are being jailed in immigration detention centers & entered into deportation proceedings. Others are stuck in Mexico, their passports suddenly revoked after trying to reenter the United States. It’s getting close to time that we can legitimately start comparing the Trump admin to the Nazis. https://tinyurl.com/y9ur35p8

In China, Google has explored launching a new, special search engine that would meet the demands of the country’s strict Internet censors. Meanwhile, in the US, regulators/users increasingly demand Silicon Valley apply a heavier hand in moderating onlin

(Wednesday, Aug 29. 2018 03:19 AM)

2prevent harassment, stop hate speech & ensure civil political discourse. Now down the slippery slope goes Trump right into the totalitarian rabbit hole. T today accused Google of being “RIGGED” against him because the “search results for ‘Trump News’” show mostly “BAD” coverage about him from “Fake News Media.” And Larry Kudlow, National Economic Council director, said the T admin is “taking a look” at whether Google should be regulated. That’s not fake news, it’s scary news. http://tinyurl.com/ybctd59s

Correction: For fossil-fueled plants, CO2 release is reduced <40%, not <50%. System best described as a waste heat concentrator that then drives a turbine & generates electricity. The technique utilizes OFF-THE-SHELF proven tech. Initially, wast

(Sunday, Aug 12. 2018 01:28 PM)

would otherwise be released to the enviro is used 2drive a turbine that pressurizes air. This air is then stored underground @ ambient temps (either in an exhausted gas/oil field or in other common geologic formations). During /peak demand/ electric load periods, this air is piped 2where it is warmed by waste heat from the plant-s current operations. This increases the air-s energy density 2where it is sufficient 2operate a turbine & electric generator. Net result is that what was once considered waste heat pollution that costs money to dispose of can now generate electricity.

what has traditionally been unusable/polluting waste heat as pressurized air. This air later operates efficient modified turbines. 2X plant efficiency poss during peak periods. For fossil-fueled plants, CO2 reduced <50%. Pressurized air can also time-shift electric output from renewables. Dr Bill not alone: http://goo.gl/dCuvqh As for marquee claim, pressurized air can prevent nuke meltdowns by serving as alt coolant during critical 1st 72hrs w/o H2O. http://goo.gl/b1DCV9 While some radiation would be discharged in air, idea better than a meltdown.

T admin now wants to make it harder for legal immigrants to become US Citzns. Under a recent proposal, legal immigrants wouldnt be allowed to obtain citizenship or green cards if they’ve ever used the social programs many working-class ppl use at so

(Wednesday, Aug 8. 2018 04:30 AM)

like the ACA (Obamacare), Children’s Health Insurance, or foodstamps. Proposal won’t require congressional approval. As the Clinton admin did in 1999, T admin would redefine the term /public charge/, a feature of immigration law since 1800s. More than 20M immigrants would thus be prevented from ever voting. Immigration attys r planning2 push back in the courts, but Repubs r packing the courts too, so… https://goo.gl/6mSW1H

Earlier this wk, a Koch brothers-sponsored study shared widely w/corporate media tried2 scare ppl into thinking Medicare-for-all would be too expensive for our country. But what the study did was show that Medicare-for-all would actually save the American

(Saturday, Aug 4. 2018 11:34 PM)

people $2T over 10yrs. And it would do so while providing hlth care for 30M Americans who dont have it today & eliminating premiums/deductibles/co-pymts to private hlth ins companies. Sounds like a good deal to me. So I want to thank the Koch brothers. I do not think their study had its intended effect. s/Bernie Sanders. http://goo.gl/y9ChnC (In fairness, Bernie forgets2 mention the premiums/deductibles/co-pymts to Medicare/Medigap ins/PrescriptionDrugPlans. Medicare isn’t free 2 most end users but would cost less & improve results.

KSCO did a tribute show today from 10-noon w/guests & callers. According to Dr Eric Wattenburg, Bill’s son, one of Dr Bill’s last deathbed actions was2 successfully obtain a patent 4a method to quench out-of-control nuke reactors. I would

(Saturday, Aug 4. 2018 02:49 PM)

Dr Bill had. Dr Bill had a knack4 applying practical seat-of-the-pants knowledge he learned growing up on farms & in the woods with complex scientific principles. While I agree it appears there is no way to operate current gen nuke reactors safely, I am confident that over time scientists will find safe ways to contain/utilize this power. I also feel that mankind cannot ignore such a lrg source of electric energy generation – energy that may well be nec to tap in order to counter the wheels of climatic change already placed irreversibly into motion. http://184.105.148.154:8000/live

I’m listening to a tribute show KSCO is doing today from 10-noon with guests & callers. According to Dr Eric Wattenburg, Bill’s son, one of Dr Bill’s last deathbed actions was to successfully obtain a patent for a method to quench o

(Saturday, Aug 4. 2018 02:41 PM)

Dr Bill had. Dr Bill had a knack4 applying practical seat-of-the-pants knowledge he learned growing up on farms & in the woods w/complex scientific principles. While I agree it appears there is no way to operate current gen nuke reactors safely, I am confident that over time scientists will find safe ways to contain/utilize this power. I also feel that mankind cannot ignore such a lrg source of electric energy generation — energy that may well be nec to tap in order to counter the wheels of climatic change already placed irreversibly into motion. http://184.105.148.154:8000/live

Dr Bill Wattenburg, KGO radio talk host & scientist, passed away Thurs at age 82 due to complications of cancer. Dr Bill was a fixture on KGO from 1975-2011. I have missed Dr Bill’s input in recent yrs. I always held high respect for his scientific knowledge & his scientifically-based ideas. However, when it came to politics, his attitudes were sometimes abysmal & towards people that didn’t worship at his feet, he had a nasty mean streak. https://goo.gl/d98JUF

Did Trump Meet With His Counterpart — Or His Handler? A plausible theory of mind-boggling collusion. By Jonathan Chait @ nymag.com. That the GRU & Putin would have in the past behaved badly… well that is no more surprising

(Sunday, Jul 22. 2018 09:56 PM)

than the known past behavior of our own spooks/leaders. But that doesnt mean we cant now get along & work towards mutual betterment. I believe common ground w/RU is as poss as w/China & Europe. In that 1 very specific respect, I think Trump’s thinking is correct. Our biggest prob isnt the Russians, but the fact that our politicians are under the influence of corrupt money from foreign/corporate/mob/oligarchs. We should inoculate ourselves w/better cybersecurity, public campaign financing, & verifiable paper ballots — not by alienating RU. https://goo.gl/FGTHH7

Hope KKSF succedes so as2 better inform SF commuters. However, they have weak signal here & no local/state content except4 NBC news on hr. They also rerun same 4 shows 24/7. PBC says he contacted them but learned they have no

(Saturday, Jul 21. 2018 08:11 PM)

budget4 local talent. KGO however moving back 2roots taking more calls. This forces content from cheesy dribble 2 current & even local. And if Jack Swanson comes back as PD, PBC hopeful he & others might get gigs. R country has lost its way w/greedy corporate raiders that load formerly honorable/viable business w/unmanageable debt. The raiders then micromanage massive cuts trying2 maximize profit, but they r so incompetent that they cant even retain previous profits. Laws need to change.

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For once, Trump said something that bears a tiny semblance to truth. Specifically, re wildland mismanagement. Aggressive thinning needs to occur. Enviros need to back off, else over the next few decades we are

(Monday, Nov 12. 2018 05:35 AM)

on course to lose much of r woodlands & the wildlife we all want2 protect. Due to accumulated fuel loads resultant from over-aggressive fire suppression combined w/climate change, today’s fires dont just clear underbrush, they burn everything from mature tree crowns down to the soil, which is sterilized & then washes away to silt waterways. DiFi prev worked on a bi-partisan solution, see: http://tinyurl.com/Herger-DiFi-Quincy-Library-Grp

Recent criminal justice bail bond reforms are being distorted by powerful interests towards a new Jim Crow system of private, 4profit, mass e-carceration. In CA Oct 2019, it appears a presumption of e-detention will

(Sunday, Nov 11. 2018 12:37 PM)

replace what was hoped 2b more freq release on 1’s own recognizance. CPU algorithms based on factors highly correlated w/ race/class will determine who remains caged. Those found release elig will likely be forced2 lease from a private corp a $300/mo GPS unit shackled to their ankle & w/permitted movement zones that may make it imposs 2 work, attend school, care4 kids, or visit family. http://tinyurl.com/newest-jim-crow

Judge Brett Kavanaugh lied about the SeaWorld case during his Senate confirmation testimony last week in order to justify his disrespect for the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

(Monday, Sep 24. 2018 04:18 AM)

Kavanaugh can do one good thing for us; let’s hope his nomination hangs on & thus forces the SCOTUS appt after the elections. https://tinyurl.com/kavagaugh-lies
(Self-extracting link above shows full post.)

U.S. is denying passports to Americans along the border, throwing their citizenship into question.

(Friday, Aug 31. 2018 04:45 AM)

Worse, passport applicants with official U.S. birth certificates are being jailed in immigration detention centers & entered into deportation proceedings. Others are stuck in Mexico, their passports suddenly revoked after trying to reenter the United States. It’s getting close to time that we can legitimately start comparing the Trump admin to the Nazis. https://tinyurl.com/y9ur35p8